Child Development

DEVELOPMENTAL CHECKLIST AND CONCERNS

Things your baby should do:

At 4 months:
Follow and react to bright colors, movement and objects, turn toward sound, show interest in watching people's faces, smile back when you smile

At 6 months:
Relate to you with joy, smile often while playing with you, coo or babble, cry when upset

At 9 months:
Smile and laugh looking at you, exchange smiles and sounds and gestures with you

At 12 months:
Use gestures (wave, point), play games (peek-a-boo, so-big), babble sounds (ba, ma, na, da, ga), turn to sound of their name

At 15 months:
Smile back and forth, gestures back and forth; point to pictures; use different sounds to get needs met; use and understand at least three words

At 18 months:
Use lots of gestures to communicate needs, babble with at least 4 different consonants, use and understand at least 10 words, points to body parts, pretend play and imitate tasks (vacuum cleaner).

At 24 months:
More complex pretend play - feed, burp and change the baby doll; use and understand at least 50 words; start to put 2 words together; enjoy other kids, watching and trying to interact with them

At 36 months:
Play with dolls or different figures, play with other kids - sharing toys, etc; answer simple questions; draw circle.

When to be concerned:

These are social / communication red flags - if you think your baby may show any of these signs, please talk to your pediatrician!!


No big smiles or other joyful expressions by 6 months and after
No back-and-forth sharing of sounds, smiles, or facial expressions by 9 months and after
No babbling by 12 months.
No pointing, showing, reaching or waving by 12 months.
No words by 16 months.
No 2 word phrases by 24 months.
Any loss or speech or social skills, at any age.